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| Europe |
| Belgian soldiers to blowtorch caterpillars |
| 2007-06-01 |
| A mini-platoon of soldiers wielding blowtorches will be deployed to the Belgian forests to tackle a plague of hairy caterpillars that are causing allergy outbreaks in humans. Procession caterpillars, so called for the way they march in lines through forests, are covered in long, toxic hairs which cause dermatitis and respiratory problems and account for up to 80 per cent of doctor visits in the affected area. The soldiers will spend six weeks in the eastern province of Limburg from Monday, waging a tree-by-tree war on the caterpillars, which cling in groups to trunks and branches. "In teams of two people, they will go through the forests and burn the little animals off the trees," Belgian military spokeswoman Ingrid Baeck said. "There have not been enough people to do this and I think we can make the difference." Previous attempts to rid forests of the caterpillars, which number in the millions thanks to mild weather, have included spraying pesticide using a helicopter and setting hormone traps for the adult moths. |
| Posted by:Delphi |
| #9 They're going to blowtorch insects? That has GOT to steam the nature freaks. |
| Posted by: Mike N. 2007-06-01 23:45 |
| #8 How about DDT? |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2007-06-01 23:09 |
| #7 #6 tw - a group of little tiny chocolates. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-06-01 21:51 |
| #6 What is a Belgian mini-platoon? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-06-01 20:07 |
| #5 Soylent Green is caterpillars! |
| Posted by: Thorn 2007-06-01 20:00 |
| #4 Oh mercy, I pray no bunnies get harmed in this horrible undertaking. |
| Posted by: Grusosh Borgia9229 2007-06-01 19:39 |
| #3 At least they have found an enemy they are willing to deploy their army against. Now if we can only convince the muzzies to grow a bunch of legs and hairy spines on their backs. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-06-01 18:12 |
| #2 Nuke the site from orbit. It is the only way to be sure. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-06-01 18:10 |
| #1 1 platoon vs millions of bugs? I keep getting this scene from Starship Troopers when they first land on the bug planet for some reason |
| Posted by: Valentine 2007-06-01 17:36 |